It says a lot about the direction a franchise is heading when a trip to the Super Bowl fails to in and of itself meet the team’s expectations. That is the Patrick Mahomes effect. Although the Chiefs failed to repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2020, they are still undoubtedly the overwhelming favorites in the AFC and will be back this fall with perhaps their best roster in the Mahomes era.
The most glaring need for Kansas City that was exploited most poignantly in their Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay last February: protection for Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs made sure to address this problem head-on in the offseason. They acquired veteran guards Joe Thuney and Kyle Long, along with Pro Bowl offensive tackle Orlando Brown, leaving no excuse for Mahomes to be under nearly as much pressure as he faced in Super Bowl LV.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire will look to improve upon an inconsistent rookie season and add more balance to Kansas City’s pass-heavy offense. With the departures of Le’Veon Bell and Damien Williams, the second year running back will almost certainly be relied on to undertake more of a workhorse role. He too is a strong candidate to reap the rewards of a much-improved offensive front.
On the defensive side, the Chiefs return a veteran group led by Tyrann Mathieu and All-Pro Chris Jones and displayed an emphasis on improving the team’s front seven in the 2021 Draft. Kansas City selected linebacker Nick Bolton out of Missouri with their first pick and added defensive end Joshua Kaindoh in the fourth round. While the Chiefs’ defense is far from the most talented in the league, they have done well in keeping the team in games, knowing they have the most prolific offense to rely on for points.
The Chiefs will once again enter the regular season as the heavy favorites to win the AFC West and remain the odds-on to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, and there is no reason to suspect otherwise. As long as Mahomes stays healthy and his dynamic playmakers like Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce remain in good form, it is hard to see a team dethroning the Chiefs in the AFC.
Record Prediction: 15-2